— The Church of England has an income of $22,125,000.
— There is but one Universalist Church in the State of Mississippi.
— The Bombay Guardian says the number of native Christians in India has doubled in ten years.
— Prof. Cyrus Northrop, of Yale College, pertinently says: “The Bible-class that is converted into a court for the trial of Christianity is, and in the nature of the case must be, a failure.”
— Miss Whately, daughter of the famous Archbishop, has long carried on a missionary work of great interest at Cairo, at her own charges. The Khedive has presented her with land for her buildings, and her Cairo schools number 300 boys and 200 girls, more than two-thirds of the girls and half of the boys being Moslems. She has a branch school of ninety pupils at Damietta.
— The Pope, in receiving a deputation of clergymen from Mexico, recently, praised the piety of that country, and said he felt sure that its rulers, in their own interests, would renew relations with the Vatican. That country has had relations with the Vatican for some hundreds of years, and it would puzzle the brains of the wisest man to discover wherein its interests have been advanced thereby.
— A number of prominent Lutherans of Washington are planning for the erection of a colossal bronze statue of Martin Luther in that city. It is proposed to purchase for this purpose a duplicate of the figure of the great reformer which stands in the center of the celebrated group at Worms, and erect it in front of the Lutheran Memorial church, on Thomas Circle, between Fourteenth Street and Vermont Avenue.
— The Jewish Times thinks that, in view of the fact that there are 40,000,000 Presbyterians in the world, and that the Methodist and Baptist denominations are still larger, for Protestants to cherish jealousies and fears of the Jews, who number less than 12,000,000 in all the earth, “can only be accepted as an evidence of depravity in those who indulge them, and at the same time as a very high tribute to Jewish energy, character, and talent.”
— The Presbyterian Mission Press, at Shanghai, China, sends out 35,000,000 pages of tracts a year. The Press has a type foundry of its own, and has type for English, Greek, Corean, Japanese, Mongolian, Literary Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, and five local dialects. A noteworthy feature of the institution is that every morning its workmen, sixty or seventy in number, gather in the chapel for prayers, conducted by the business manager.
— A missionary who has just returned from Egypt gives some statistics of missionary work in that country. In all the great centers of the population in Egypt there are now missions and schools; eighteen Christian churches have been organized, in which there are about 1,400 members, and there are sixty schools, with 4,000 scholars, while no fewer than 24,500 volumes of Christian and popular literature have been sold. The missionaries driven out by the late war have all returned, and found the mission property very little injured.
California Deaf Mute Asylum.
By Editor
It was our privilege to visit this institution last week. We had previously visited the grounds and examined the buildings when the schools were not open. We cannot speak of all the matters of interest connected with our late visit; we were most interested in the exercises of the classes of the deaf who are being taught to read. The teacher wrote on the blackboard the names of our party of four, and called up several young persons in succession who each read them off so distinctly that all could readily understand them. By request one of our party gave a sentence, reading from a copy of the SIGNS in her hand, concerning John the Baptist. "But what went ye out to see?" This was very distinctly read by nearly all the class; by every one called upon. When this class was dismissed each one said, "Good-bye," on passing out.
We then repaired to a room wherein there was a class of beginners; children who had been in training to speak and read only four weeks. The progress made in this short time was truly remarkable. An active little girl from the other class would take a word from the mouth of the teacher and impart it to every one in this class, being sure that all articulated it with tolerable correctness before leaving them. Then such as uttered it most accurately were in turn sent to give it to, the others; and this continued until all were conversant with the pronunciation of that word. Then one was called to point out the word on the blackboard, which was always done with readiness.
A large number of simple sentences were written on the board. The teacher would construct a longer sentence, speaking it without any motion other than of the vocal organs, and call upon a pupil to pick out the words of this sentence on the board. The words were often found far apart, but always found, showing that they were very fast becoming conversant with spoken and written language. These children, in this short time, had learned the alphabet; that is, the position of the organs of speech in articulating the letters or sounds of a true alphabet. They had also learned to take these sounds combined into words from the teacher, and to recognize these words in writing. A class in any day-school, with all their senses, who would learn the alphabet and as much of the construction of the language, in the same length of time, would be regarded as having made great progress. Miss Garrett, the teacher, is a graduate of Prof. Bell, the originator of the system, and is doing credit both to herself and to her instructor.
A young lady, an inmate of the institution, addressing a lady visitor, said in a rather pleasing tone, "This is a very lovely day," (which it truly was); and we were surprised to learn that she was entirely deaf. She had been one of the "deaf and dumb" until she was taught to speak by the method here used.
We learned from Prof. Goodall, of the Asylum, that the present Legislature proposes to cut down the appropriation to so small a figure that it will not be possible to keep the school in operation during the year. We have no doubt that retrenchment of the State expenses is advisable; but "leaks" might be stopped in many places to such advantage that it would not be necessary to close this institution—one of the most important charities in the country. Of the deaf and blind there are now about one hundred and fifty scholars. To throw all these out of school after making a good beginning, to lose what they have acquired, as many would before another appropriation could be made, would be a calamity which every well-disposed person could but deeply, deplore. We hope that wiser counsel may prevail, and the asylum schools be kept in operation.
Last Sabbath in Oakland.
LAST Sabbath meeting in Oakland was an occasion of interest and importance. In the forenoon we spoke on Job. 22:21. Five members were received, and three names dropped. The committee on nominations reported. Baptism was appointed to take place, providence favoring, in two weeks.
In the afternoon the roll was called, and 84 responded; and some letters were received from non-resident members. The officers were elected as follows:—
Pastor—J. H. Waggoner.
Elders—C. H. Jones and E. J. Waggoner.
Deacons—W. N. Glenn and John I. Tay.
Treasurer—John I. Tay.
Clerk—James B. Leavitt.
The ordinances were celebrated. Notwithstanding the large number of matters attended to, the meetings were not so long as to be tedious, and an excellent feeling prevailed.
Moving to Healdsburg.
By Editor
It is hoped that the error of moving to the vicinity of the College without a clear duty, and to the great injury of small churches, which was committed by so many in the East, will not be repeated in California. Those who contemplate moving to Healdsburg should by all means counsel with the Conference Committee, or some persons acquainted with the circumstances. Better to exercise great caution than to lay the foundation for long-standing regrets. Consider well the influence a removal will have upon the church to be left, and upon the cause in its locality. We hope to see a strong school, upheld by a strong influence, built up in Healdsburg. But that can never be done by moving unadvisedly. We shall watch this matter with deep interest, for we believe it is one of great importance.
Our 8-page Tracts.
By Editor
WHILE we were in Battle Creek a joint meeting was held of the Publishing Committees of the two Publishing Associations. We have for some time been trying to devise some plan whereby these two committees might co-operate in their decisions and actions, and this joint meeting was an effort to carry out this idea. Amongst other things upon which action was taken, we were requested to revise the series of 8-page tracts which were got up mostly for use in tent-meetings.
There are some things in them which refer to the circumstances and opportunities of tent-meetings which make them quite inappropriate for general circulation. These can be changed without injuring them at all as tent tracts. And some of them can be corrected and improved in some other features. We shall put them in tract form as fast as they are put through the SIGNS. Instead of the "book list" occupying one page, each will contain notices of those books which treat of the subject of the tract.
Added to that which appears on the second page of this paper, will be only a few lines calling attention to books on the same subject.
THOUGHTS ON REVELATION, CRITICAL AND PRACTICAL
By Uriah Smith
By ELD. U. SMITH.
This work presents every verse in the book of Revelation, with such remarks as serve to illustrate or explain the meaning of the text. It is a new and harmonious exposition of that important book, and is designed to create an interest in its study.
416 pp. $1.25. Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.
EARLY WRITINGS OF MRS. WHITE.
Comprising "Experience and Views" and "Spiritual Gifts Volume One," bound in one volume. This makes a neat and attractive book of nearly 200 pages, and should be read by old and young. The matter and the style in which it is presented are so interesting that no one who has read one chapter will forego the pleasure and profit of reading the remainder. Price, 75 cents.
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.
June Weather in California
Most of the time since our return to California the weather here has been like that of June in the East.
Annual Meetings in Oakland
By Editor
NOTICE of the Annual Meetings to be held in Oakland in April will be given next week.
A MINE OF INFORMATION.
By John Nevins Andrews
HISTORY OF THE SABBATH AND FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK.
BY ELD. J. N. ANDREWS.
The Bible record of the Sabbath; the secular history concerning it; the successive steps by which the change to the first day was made, and the work of restoration, are given in detail.
EVERY TEXT OF SCRIPTURE concerning the Sabbath is commented on at length; and the COMPLETE TESTIMONY OF THE FATHERS in regard to the Sabbath and first day is given. The comparative merits of the seventh and the first-day Sabbaths are fully shown. A copious Index enables the reader to find any text, or the statement of any historian.
Should be read by everybody. 528 pp. Price, $1.25.
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.
THE SEVENTH PART OF TIME.
By W. H. Littlejohn
A SERMON ON THE SABBATH QUESTION.
By W. H. Littlejohn.
This is a refutation of the theory that God sanctified simply a seventh part of time as the Sabbath, without fixing that time to any definite day.
UNIFORM DAY OF REST,
Is admitted by nearly all, and is advocated in this book. The author also shows that the Creator understood and anticipated this necessity, and proves by five different processes of reasoning that the seventh or last day of the week, and no other, was in the beginning, and is now, the Sabbath of the Lord.
32 pp. Price 4 cents; $3.00 per hundred.
Address SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.
L I F E S K E T C H E S .
T H E E A R L Y L I F E , C H R I S T I A N E X P E R I E N C E , A N D E X T E N S I V E L A B O R S O F E L D E R J A M E S W H I T E , A N D H I S W I F E , M R S . E L L E N G . W H I T E .
T H E p r o d u c t i o n o f t h i s b o o k w a s t h e l a s t l i t e r a r y l a b o r p e r f o r m e d b y E l d e r W h i t e . A s n e a r l y t h e w h o l e o f h i s a c t i v e l a b o r w a s p e r f o r m e d i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e S e v e n t h - d a y A d v e n t i s t d e n o m i n a t i o n , w h i c h h e w a s l a r g e l y i n s t r u m e n t a l i n f o u n d i n g , t h e w o r k i s n e c e s s a r i l y q u i t e a c o m p l e t e h i s t o r y o f t h a t p e o p l e .
T h e b o o k a b o u n d s i n i n t e r e s t i n g i n c i d e n t s , p e r s o n a l s k e t c h e s , a n d r e l i g i o u s e x p e r i e n c e s , s o m e o f w h i c h a r e q u i t e r e m a r k a b l e , a n d a l t o g e t h e r i t f o r m s a v o l u m e a t o n c e i n s t r u c t i v e a n d i n t e r e s t i n g .
4 1 6 p p . P r i c e , $ 1 . 2 5 . A d d r e s s , S I G N S O F T H E T I M E S , O a k l a n d , C a l .
THE DEFINITE SEVENTH DAY;
By John Nevins Andrews
OR, GOD'S MEASUREMENT OF TIME ON THE ROUND WORLD.
By ELD. J. N. ANDREWS.
THIS tract is an answer to the question, "Can a definite day be observed by all the inhabitants of the earth?" It is a complete refutation of the common objection against the Sabbath, that the rotation of the earth on its axis makes it impossible for all men to keep the same day, showing not only that a definite day may be observed in all parts of the earth, but that no real difficulty has ever been experienced in the matter.
16 pp. Price, 2 cents; $1.50 per hundred.
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.
THE TRUTH FOUND.
By J. H. Waggoner
THE NATURE AND OBLIGATION OF THE SABBATH OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT.
By Eld. J. H. Waggoner.
THE title of this little book sufficiently explains its character. It contains more Scriptural information in regard to the Sabbath than any other book of twice the size, and yet it is so simplified as to be easily comprehended. The author quotes the opinions of many learned men concerning the Sabbath, and their conflicting theories are strongly contrasted with the clear, straightforward teaching of the Bible.
64 pp. Price, 10 cents.
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.
THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES,
By Editor
PUBLISHED WEEKLY, AT OAKLAND, CAL., FOR THE
Missionary Society of Seventh-day Adventists.
A twelve-page Religious Family Paper, devoted to a discussion of the Prophecies, Signs of the Times, Second Coming of Christ, Harmony of the Law and Gospel, with Departments devoted to Temperance, The Home Circle, the Missionary Work, and the Sabbath-school.
Price Per Year, . . . . . . . . . . . $2.00
In Clubs of five or more copies to one address, to be used in Missionary Work, . . . . . . 1.50
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.
—OR—
REVIEW AND HERALD, Battle Creek, Michigan.
MRS. ELIZA PALMER, Sec. N. E. Tract Society, South Lancaster, Mass.
ELD. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH, Ravenswood, Shirley Road, Southampton, England.
MRS. C. L. BOYD, Salem, Oregon.
Quarterly Meeting in San Francisco.
By Editor
The quarterly meeting was not held in San Francisco last Sabbath, the time appointed, as no minister could be present. We have received a request to hold the quarterly meeting with that church next Sabbath, and have consented to do so. It is expected that all the members will be present, next Sabbath, March 10.